INDICES OF THE MIND. 295 



to our eye, and may therefore be described by words, 

 or by drawing, or sculpture. We must study man 

 in all aspects of the case, and when we see in 

 the face, limbs, or body indications of his brain or 

 mental condition, we should analyze and describe 

 first, the position of features and parts as we see 

 them, then the muscles which produce these posi- 

 tions or movements, knowing that the muscular 

 condition which has produced the movements or 

 positions is the result of the state of the correspond- 

 ing nerve-centres of the brain. It has been said 

 that a man's face is the index of his mind, and this 

 is true, for all the varying changes of expression in 

 the face (except those of colour) are due to changes 

 in the facial muscles, and these solely depend upon 

 changes in nerve-cells. 



The muscles of the hand and face are probably 

 the most specialized as the agents, and indices of 

 the mind. These muscles suffer most commonly 

 from injury or disease of the brain. Another reason 

 for speaking of the hand as specially indicative of 

 the brain condition is because the hand has a large 

 number of small muscles, capable of performing 

 delicate actions, and bearing slight weights. The 

 muscles of the hand are particularly under the 

 guidance of the brain. 



In 1879, when visiting Florence, it struck me 

 that the posture of the hands of the Venus de' 

 Medici was similar to the posture often seen in a 

 nervous child when the hands are held out. 



The hand posture of the Venus is similar on 

 either side to that described as the "nervous hand " 

 (see chap. ix. p. 163). 



